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Justin Upton exits with left hamstring strain

Outfielder feels better after resting in clubhouse, considered day to day

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J. Upton leaves game 1:22

8/14/14: Justin Upton leaves the game in the bottom of the 8th inning with a hamstring injury

By Mark Bowman
/
MLB.com |

ATLANTA -- Braves outfielder Justin Upton did not look comfortable as he limped across the field during the eighth inning of Thursday's 6-4 loss to the Dodgers. But after being evaluated, Upton believes he is simply dealing with the same left hamstring ailment that has sidelined him for just a day or two in the past.

"It didn't [feel] better until I got in [the clubhouse] and laid down for a little bit," Upton said. "It kind of died down. We'll just see tomorrow."

Upton was removed after the Braves' medical staff spotted him repeatedly stretching his leg as he was standing on third base during the eighth inning. The veteran outfielder had raced to second with a double and then had to sprint to third base after tagging up on Chris Johnson's flyout to left field. He felt the hamstring while going from second to third base.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez seemed to make the decision to remove Upton as soon as he reached third base to check on his outfielder.

"I hope it's just something that is mild," Gonzalez said. "We'll check him tomorrow and get him back in there as soon as we can. We'll let him do his treatment and let him get hydrated. Maybe we'll get him back in a day or two."

As fate would have it, the Braves, who have lost 12 of their past 15 games, ended Thursday's loss with B.J. Upton stranding runners at second and third base with a strikeout. B.J. was hitting in place of his younger brother, who has certainly established himself as the more attractive option in that situation.

"It's a cruel game sometimes," Gonzalez said. "But it doesn't matter. They're all professional hitters, all Major League hitters. You feel good that somebody could bloop one in there or hit a ball out of the ballpark or split a gap. I felt pretty good there in that situation."

Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.